Memphis_Bill

*points at signature*

I'll say part of it's luck, too. I've gone for a month or two without seeing any, and had (at one point) three drop within two missions. I'll see them less frequently, of course, because I'm all over the place level-wise - if I spent all that time on one or two of my 50s, I'd see more purples just because I'm fighting more stuff that drops them.

For most of them, there's only one way - the NC store.

However, for some (Valkyrie, for instance,) buying the edition is a better bet. They normally run $20 but provide a free month of game time (so, $20 for what would cost you $25.) That would be the Mac Pack and the Good vs Evil edition - assuming you don't already have one of them (you can only apply a code once.)

The Magic, Cyborg, and Wedding packs are just packs, with no associated edition other than Architect (which gives you one free.)

And one that had to get done when it popped into mind. My oh-so-fun plant/thorn Dom, Carolina Jessamine, biding her time 'til she gets the information she needs.



Original here, by Semaj007

Yeah, mentioned it in the east coast thread - very sluggish and slow since last night or this morning sometime.

Note that this is true just for *renaming* builds, as well. I wouldn't mind being able to rename them in the same way - I understand the need to wait to switch and use different builds, but to train/enhance/name them is a bit tedious.

Just a quick breeze through the posts, and I wanted to throw a thought or two in.

1. Take advantage of dual builds. Start as a triformer, since Nova *does* make life at lower levels less painful (and a lot of fun - head to Perez and self-PL for a while.)

2. Don't look at Essence Drain as "another heal." Look at it as an attack that happens to heal you. (And take advantage of Theft of Essence if youc an - the Accurate Heal set - just to get a mix of Acc and healing if needed.) Balance to your own needs.

3. Don't worry about "needed" IO sets - because, really, none of them are. If you want to tackle a specific area that you really want to see if you can boost up, *then* go after them. (Alternately, they can give a whole new challenge to play - with even more tradeoffs to consider in slotting.)

4. Carry a blue.

"Forum Games," last one in this section.

I've looked (and presented) similar ideas in the past, with various limitations. Even with all the sets we have right now, yeah, some could use one-off combo-IOs. Still like to see it.

Some of these are potentially useful in what may be a longer, drawn-out fight. Part of the question, as well, is "Are you going to prefer melee or range?"

Wish I could say precisely what I did on my Fire/Fire - I don't believe I took burn. Some of my power choices, as well, were considering the teaming I normally had. Teaming with a Kin regularly? For best effect, you're going to be in melee *anyway,* so Hot Feet, Consume, Blazing Aura, etc. are going to be worth more. (They should, of course, be dropping ID on you if they have it.)

Of course, you're not on a regular team, as you said. FSC is still quite useful (IMHO,) Hot Feet to slow and scare things away, but the rest in your situation I'd call purely optional.

Then again, we do have dual builds if you decide to try a different form of melting faces.

IIRC, they're handled like NPCs. Currently they don't do a LOT of damage, typically, but I seem to recall if they do a decent chunk, you're out some percentage of XP already.

Been a little while though.

What's the difference between a Peacebringer and a Warshade?

This has been getting asked often enough from new (or soon to be) 50s to merit a quick-reply cut and paste from me. Welcome to the world of Khelds! Enjoy your stay?

Basic reading

These guides will help you a lot:

Iscariot's guide to the triform Warshade by Justaris. Yes, it's warshade specific.

Plasma's ultimate guide to Kheldians for a very thorough overview. Really. It's long-ish, but read it.

And for the backstory, there's my own backstory guide. More "in game lore" than powers.

A quick overview

Khelds in general - Can be built around one (human) form or multiple forms, known as biform or triform. The other forms act like a blaster and a sort of "pocket tank." Human form buffs carry over - if you hit Hasten, you get it for the full length of Hasten. it doesn't cut off when you switch forms. Toggles, however, do at this time.

That said, the two are different in many fundamental ways.

Peacebringer - the old reliable.

Peacebringers are completely "self contained" Khelds. What this means is that all of their buffs and heals are going to act exactly the same, given the same level and slotting, every time. If you're level 40 and hit your self-heal for, say, 200 HP (making up a number) one time, and you hit it again without levelling, you'll get 200 HP again.

Peacebringers are more melee-oriented. They're more "in your face" than a Warshade. The example I used one other time was, if you insult a Peacebringer in a bar, they'll punch you in the mouth. A Warshade will go outside, slit your tires and fill your gas tank with sugar.

Peacebringers get Fly as an inherent travel power, and are locked out of any form of Teleport (other than the Dwarf form teleport, if you take that form.) And all Peacebringer attacks do a -defense debuff to whatever they hit.

Peacebringer Dwarf form gets an AOE knockdown and a click self heal that, again, is completely self contained.

Warshades - the wild, unpredictable ride.

Warshades have higher highs and lower lows in their performance. Where Peacebringers are completely self contained, Warshades rely on living or defeated foes for their buffs. Self heals - especially Stygian Circle - perform better with more defeated enemies around. Self buffs - such as Sunless Mire and Ecliipse - will give greater benefit with more live foes around. (This is part of why they also get some self-stealth, an oppressive Gloom clone, and I'm pretty sure part of the reason behind Teleport.)

Warshades are very control heavy. Every attack does some -slow and -recharge if it hits. They get an option of self stealth in shadow cloak, an Oppressive Gloom (PBAOE stun) clone, Gravity Well as a hold and other immobilizes and stuns.

Warshades also get somewhat longer lasting pets (and, generally, more useful) in Extracted Essence, which adds to your firepower, but requires a freshly defeated enemy to extract. It's also pretty much impossible to get them from ghost-type enemies and machines that explode. You can, with enough recharge, have up to three of them out for a short time, but they will expire. The plus side is that they do stick around once you're defeated. A Warshade in Nova with two "koosh balls" next to them spitting out damage is loads of fun.

Warshade Dwarf form gets another Mire (recently buffed!) and their self heal is a single-target attack which must hit - it's a copy of Siphon Life from Dark Melee.

Warshades, of course, also start with Teleport and are locked out of Fly (except in Nova form.) that said, TP Foe (Starless Step) and Gravity Well (your hold) are an excellent way to take care of pesky Void hunters before they get a shot off at you. You also get Shadow Recall at level 10, which pre-travel-power teammates (and later, those who want to stealth missions) will greatly appreciate.

Which is better?

They're both good, but they shine in different situations. If I'm clearing out a map, a Warshade's going to have lots of groups to play with, siphon from, get essences and the like. If I'm facing a long, one on one fight versus, say, an AV or EB, the Peacebringer's going to have an easier time with it, as the Warshade will only have the one target to buff from and will, over time, lose the essences.

I *generally* suggest a first time Kheld start with a Peacebringer to get a feel for everything. That said, they're both a lot of fun - and yes, I have multiples of them at 50, and don't regreat any of them.

Eh, I don't worry about it. Stack holds on them and they don't MOG anyway. >.>

Nope, sorry, it's weird. Says so on page 89. *points* See?